Did alittle wetsanding yesterday
10-25-10, 01:29 PM
#16
Any abrasion method will always remove the clear coat. OEM manufacturers are notorious for using very thin layer of clear coat (almost next to nothing) . Chances are, you're removing a lot of it unless you're only doing very few swipes with 1500 grit. I use to wetsand all the time and will refuse to sand cars with OEM clear coat. A lot of the waves are caused by the base paint itself since they're thicker in depth. If you're able to remove the wave, then you're probably gone past the clear coat at some point. There is good news however: Most people will probably junk their cars before the paint starts fading or whatever else the UV rays does 
10-25-10, 02:32 PM
#17
Pole Position
Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Jax, Fl
Posts: 215
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Good info GSteg. For the most part if you're not familiar with wetsanding and buffing you'd be better off just giving the car a good buff to remove small scuffs and spiderwebing. I did it because I've done alot of work like this and if I ruin it then oh well I'm going to paint it before much longer anyways. I used this as a good way to get to know all the angles and edges of the car before I happen to work on good new paint down the road
10-25-10, 07:15 PM
#22
1JZ Single SC400
iTrader: (59)
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Alabama, Roll Tide!
Posts: 8,518
Likes: 0
Received 15 Likes
on
12 Posts
I have always used 2000 grit sandpaper when wet sanding. Then I go back with a wool pad and a cutting compound to remove the wet sand marks. Then change pads to a cotton or foam pad with high gloss polish cleaner, this is to remove the swirl marks that the wool pad did, then finish with a good coat of flint wax. You need to spur the pad in between each section of the car. What I mean, is do half the hood, then spur, front fender, spur, etc. This makes it silky smooth, and stays that way, for a while. You maybe get away with a clay bar in the beginning. Just make sure to keep the car wet at all times and continously turn the clay bar.
10-25-10, 08:29 PM
#23
Hey man that looks very good----I have been able to do a pretty good diy paint job but I have never figured out how to do the wet sand and buffing technique properly----I tried once and it was a disaster
I want very badly to figure out how to do this properly-------
Can u please tell me step by step how you did this and more importantly what kind of buffer did u use.
I know how to wet sand as I am very experianced with sanding and all that -----im just not very good with a buffing wheel and I dont know what sort of polish or rubbing compound to use--------
I would start with 1000 or 1500 grit depending on the severity of the damage-----I would wet sand the area---clean it and let it dry -------than please tell me all the steps for the buffing and polishing.
What buffer to use---what speed---what type of buffing wheel--and what type of polish or rubbing compound.
Thanks in advance--much appreciated.
I want very badly to figure out how to do this properly-------
Can u please tell me step by step how you did this and more importantly what kind of buffer did u use.
I know how to wet sand as I am very experianced with sanding and all that -----im just not very good with a buffing wheel and I dont know what sort of polish or rubbing compound to use--------
I would start with 1000 or 1500 grit depending on the severity of the damage-----I would wet sand the area---clean it and let it dry -------than please tell me all the steps for the buffing and polishing.
What buffer to use---what speed---what type of buffing wheel--and what type of polish or rubbing compound.
Thanks in advance--much appreciated.
10-25-10, 08:49 PM
#24
Use a rotary buffer if you can as those orbital buffers do not generate enough heat to get the polish to do their job.
I highly recommend using Menzerna line of polishes. They are more expensive, but the result speaks for itself.
What I like to do with my rotary (Hitachi SP18VA) is lay a line onto the body panel (or buffing pad) and go no more than ~1500 rpm. Any more than that you will run into paint burn if not careful. Having the buffing pad flat against the body panel, move the buffer at a rate of maybe 1-2 in/sec. Overlap the passes as if you were cutting your grass so you don't miss a spot. Work in a 2'x2' area or smaller if you'd like, but try not to go too big otherwise you run the risk of having the polish being dry.
The preferred method has always been to be least aggressive and move on up from there. If I sand down to 2000 grit, I would use a polishing pad (typically white). If the sand marks do not go away, then I step up to a more abrasive pad like a cutting pad (typically orange).
I highly recommend using Menzerna line of polishes. They are more expensive, but the result speaks for itself.
What I like to do with my rotary (Hitachi SP18VA) is lay a line onto the body panel (or buffing pad) and go no more than ~1500 rpm. Any more than that you will run into paint burn if not careful. Having the buffing pad flat against the body panel, move the buffer at a rate of maybe 1-2 in/sec. Overlap the passes as if you were cutting your grass so you don't miss a spot. Work in a 2'x2' area or smaller if you'd like, but try not to go too big otherwise you run the risk of having the polish being dry.
The preferred method has always been to be least aggressive and move on up from there. If I sand down to 2000 grit, I would use a polishing pad (typically white). If the sand marks do not go away, then I step up to a more abrasive pad like a cutting pad (typically orange).
10-25-10, 08:53 PM
#25
Use a rotary buffer if you can as those orbital buffers do not generate enough heat to get the polish to do their job.
I highly recommend using Menzerna line of polishes. They are more expensive, but the result speaks for itself.
What I like to do with my rotary (Hitachi SP18VA) is lay a line onto the body panel (or buffing pad) and go no more than ~1500 rpm. Any more than that you will run into paint burn if not careful. Having the buffing pad flat against the body panel, move the buffer at a rate of maybe 1-2 in/sec. Overlap the passes as if you were cutting your grass so you don't miss a spot. Work in a 2'x2' area or smaller if you'd like, but try not to go too big otherwise you run the risk of having the polish being dry.
The preferred method has always been to be least aggressive and move on up from there. If I sand down to 2000 grit, I would use a polishing pad (typically white). If the sand marks do not go away, then I step up to a more abrasive pad like a cutting pad (typically orange).
I highly recommend using Menzerna line of polishes. They are more expensive, but the result speaks for itself.
What I like to do with my rotary (Hitachi SP18VA) is lay a line onto the body panel (or buffing pad) and go no more than ~1500 rpm. Any more than that you will run into paint burn if not careful. Having the buffing pad flat against the body panel, move the buffer at a rate of maybe 1-2 in/sec. Overlap the passes as if you were cutting your grass so you don't miss a spot. Work in a 2'x2' area or smaller if you'd like, but try not to go too big otherwise you run the risk of having the polish being dry.
The preferred method has always been to be least aggressive and move on up from there. If I sand down to 2000 grit, I would use a polishing pad (typically white). If the sand marks do not go away, then I step up to a more abrasive pad like a cutting pad (typically orange).
Thanks again
10-25-10, 09:08 PM
#26
You'll find that most people will tell you to get a random orbit buffer like the Porter Cable 7424 for beginner's work. I went that route and eventually landed myself the Hitachi rotary. Let's just say the Porter Cable sits on my shelf collecting dust now 
Yes, a rotary is harder to use at first, but once you master it, you'll get a finish that you can never get with a random orbit.
Here is a snapshot of my car a few years back. It's a black onyx paint so it's single staged. No fear of ruining the clear coat. I lightly wet sanded the panels enough to get rid of the orange peel. You can see the no funky bubbly orange peel within the paint:
And a reflection straight off the rear door I believe:
Another suggestion is to find a rotary as light as possible, but still have enough juice to do the job. Lots of rotaries are 6-9 lbs. I can tell you from experience that the difference between a 6 lb and a 7.5 lb is noticeable at the end of the day, especially when you're working on the side door panels. Of course don't get the lightest model just for the sake of being the lightest, but just take it into consideration. The Makita brand of rotary is one of the most popular, and so is Dewalt, but they're quite heavy. I'm not Mr. America so I passed on that
Yes, a rotary is harder to use at first, but once you master it, you'll get a finish that you can never get with a random orbit. Here is a snapshot of my car a few years back. It's a black onyx paint so it's single staged. No fear of ruining the clear coat. I lightly wet sanded the panels enough to get rid of the orange peel. You can see the no funky bubbly orange peel within the paint:
And a reflection straight off the rear door I believe:
Another suggestion is to find a rotary as light as possible, but still have enough juice to do the job. Lots of rotaries are 6-9 lbs. I can tell you from experience that the difference between a 6 lb and a 7.5 lb is noticeable at the end of the day, especially when you're working on the side door panels. Of course don't get the lightest model just for the sake of being the lightest, but just take it into consideration. The Makita brand of rotary is one of the most popular, and so is Dewalt, but they're quite heavy. I'm not Mr. America so I passed on that
10-25-10, 10:14 PM
#28
You'll find that most people will tell you to get a random orbit buffer like the Porter Cable 7424 for beginner's work. I went that route and eventually landed myself the Hitachi rotary. Let's just say the Porter Cable sits on my shelf collecting dust now Yes, a rotary is harder to use at first, but once you master it, you'll get a finish that you can never get with a random orbit.
Here is a snapshot of my car a few years back. It's a black onyx paint so it's single staged. No fear of ruining the clear coat. I lightly wet sanded the panels enough to get rid of the orange peel. You can see the no funky bubbly orange peel within the paint:
And a reflection straight off the rear door I believe:
Another suggestion is to find a rotary as light as possible, but still have enough juice to do the job. Lots of rotaries are 6-9 lbs. I can tell you from experience that the difference between a 6 lb and a 7.5 lb is noticeable at the end of the day, especially when you're working on the side door panels. Of course don't get the lightest model just for the sake of being the lightest, but just take it into consideration. The Makita brand of rotary is one of the most popular, and so is Dewalt, but they're quite heavy. I'm not Mr. America so I passed on that
Yes, a rotary is harder to use at first, but once you master it, you'll get a finish that you can never get with a random orbit. Here is a snapshot of my car a few years back. It's a black onyx paint so it's single staged. No fear of ruining the clear coat. I lightly wet sanded the panels enough to get rid of the orange peel. You can see the no funky bubbly orange peel within the paint:
And a reflection straight off the rear door I believe:
Another suggestion is to find a rotary as light as possible, but still have enough juice to do the job. Lots of rotaries are 6-9 lbs. I can tell you from experience that the difference between a 6 lb and a 7.5 lb is noticeable at the end of the day, especially when you're working on the side door panels. Of course don't get the lightest model just for the sake of being the lightest, but just take it into consideration. The Makita brand of rotary is one of the most popular, and so is Dewalt, but they're quite heavy. I'm not Mr. America so I passed on that
! I need to get a buffer so I can detail my car soon.
10-26-10, 07:00 AM
#29
Pole Position
Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Jax, Fl
Posts: 215
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Def a good thing to learn how to do if you own a dark colored car. As for the questions earlier on the page I bought a cheap harbor freight buffer a few years ago and it works ok but it doesn't have enough torque to keep up and starts slowing down with pressure so I borrowed my buddies makita. I'm always used 3m compounds mostly because I've never personally used anything else since the shop I worked at when I learned bought the 3m stuff. I might explore other compounds and such one day
